Matches to Make After UFC 167

By: Brian KnappNov 17, 2013

Georges St. Pierre appeared to drop three rounds to Johny
Hendricks at UFC 167. | Donald Miralle/Zuffa LLC/Getty
Images

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight division was
thrown into a state of utter upheaval at UFC
167 on Saturday, as longtime champion Georges St.
Pierre retained his title with a contentious split decision
over Johny
Hendricks at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The widespread outrage surrounding the verdict -- all three judges
scored it 48-47, with Sal D’Amato and Tony Weeks siding with the
champion -- was only enhanced by St. Pierre’s convoluted
announcement of a possible retirement in the immediate aftermath.
If this was the end for the Tristar Gym export, he exits the stage
with more UFC wins (19) than any other fighter in history.

Controversy aside, Hendricks proved himself more than worthy of the
No. 1 contender mantle he had shouldered since toppling Carlos Condit
at UFC 158 in March. The rugged Oklahoman had St. Pierre reeling
with a left uppercut in the second round and provided the sternest
challenge yet to the Canadian’s 2,000-day reign over the 170-pound
weight class.

The debate over the decision seems to center on the first round, a
round both D’Amato and Weeks awarded to St. Pierre. The champion
struck for a takedown inside the first 30 seconds, moved on a
guillotine choke and appeared to have Hendricks considering a
tapout. However, “Bigg Rigg” freed himself from danger and began
his assault on St. Pierre in the clinch, first with jarring knees
to the thighs and later with a string of savage elbows to the head.
The two-time NCAA wrestling champion also secured a takedown of his
own in round one.

Hendricks’ power punches exacted a visible toll on St. Pierre as
the bout advanced, leaving him battered, bloodied and bruised. With
that said, the 30-year-old Team Takedown standout seemed to let
down his guard in the fifth round, where he could have sewn up the
decision. Instead, he let St. Pierre dictate the action. The
champion drove him to the canvas behind a multi-punch combination
and was the clear aggressor over the final five minutes. According
to preliminary FightMetric figures, Hendricks landed only four
significant strikes in round five and did not attempt a
takedown.

Calls for an immediate rematch were warranted and widespread
afterward, though whether the idea of it becomes a reality hinges
on St. Pierre’s plans. If he follows through with his talk of
temporary retirement, the UFC may elect to turn to a tournament to
crown a new champion, with Hendricks as the deserving
centerpiece.

In the wake of UFC 167, here are six matchups that ought to be
made:

Rashad Evans
vs. Alexander
Gustafsson-Jimi Manuwa
winner: Evans was in prime form against Chael Sonnen,
as he put away the Team Quest veteran with a ground-and-pound blitz
in the first round of their co-main event. “Suga” struck for a
takedown midway through round one, moved to mount and eventually
forced Sonnen to surrender his back. Soon after, Evans had the
36-year-old flattened out and helpless, eating punches to the side
of the head until the stoppage was called. Gustafsson will collide
with the undefeated Manuwa on March 8 in London.

Robbie Lawler
vs. Carlos
Condit-Matt Brown
winner: No one did more to raise their profile at UFC 167
than Lawler, as he upset Rory
MacDonald by split decision, slowing the rise of the
world-ranked Canadian. Having rebranded himself as a welterweight
at American Top Team, Lawler has won all three of his fights since
returning to the UFC in February. One of MMA’s most feared
finishers, he has secured 18 of his 22 career wins by knockout or
technical knockout, making him an easy-to-market fan favorite.
Condit and Brown will clash in a high-stakes UFC on Fox 9 showdown
in December.

Rory
MacDonald vs. Condit-Brown loser: MacDonald took a
step back with his split decision loss to the aforementioned
Lawler, but he did nothing to shake the belief that he might
someday rule the welterweight division. The 24-year-old former King
of the Cage champion still owns a 6-2 mark inside the Octagon and
figures to be a fixture at 170 pounds for the better part of the
next decade. Condit, the man responsible for MacDonald’s only other
defeat, will tangle with Brown on Dec. 14 in Sacramento, Calif.

Tyron
Woodley vs. Hector
Lombard: Woodley’s unique combination of blinding
speed and devastating power proved too much for Josh Koscheck
to overcome, as “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 1 alum was victimized
by a pair of punishing right hands late in the first round of their
welterweight showcase. A two-time NCAA All-American wrestler at the
University of Missouri, Woodley has long been viewed as a potential
star. Perhaps, at age 31, he has turned the corner. Lombard won for
the 22nd time in 24 appearances at UFC 166 in October, when he
needed less than two minutes to dispatch Nate
Marquardt.

Ali
Bagautinov vs. John
Lineker: A two-time sambo world champion, Bagautinov
pushed deeper into the flyweight division with a unanimous verdict
over Tim
Elliott. The 28-year-old Russian will carry a string of 10
consecutive victories into into his next outing, having scored
back-to-back wins over Elliott and Marcos
Vinicius Borges Pancini since touching down in the UFC in
September. Lineker has had well-documented issues with the scale.
However, the former Jungle Fight champion has a compiled a 17-1
mark over his past 18 fights.